China Airlines boosts Sydney, Melbourne flights

China Airlines is ramping up its presence in Australia, with additional flights from Taipei to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane all coming online from late October.

• Taipei–Sydney moves up to the convenience of a daily schedule as of October 25
• Taipei–Melbourne notches up from four to five flights per week, beginning October 28
• Taipei–Brisbane will see one additional dedicated flight per week between the two cities as of October 26, in addition to the current five flights which continue to Auckland

All of these flights are on China Airlines’ modern Airbus A350, with up to 32 elegantly comfortable business class seats which – of course – convert into a fully lie-flat bed.

The premium economy cabin offers solid value, albeit more so during a daytime flight rather than the overnight leg.

And while China Airlines is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, it’s also a Qantas partner whose seats can be booked using Qantas Points – with plenty of availability if you look far enough ahead on the Qantas Flight Reward Finder.

A one-way China Airlines business class seat between Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane and Taipei costs 90,000 Qantas Points; premium economy is yours for 70,800 points, and economy for 34,700 points (each fare also carries a $255 surcharge for carrier fees and taxes).

As previously reported, Taiwanese challenger Starlux will begin flights to Sydney in 2027, while Star Alliance member EVA Air remains a stalwart on the Taipei-Brisbane route.

Also read: China Airlines’ new 787 business class, premium economy